Re-Gram: 9 Climbing Tattoos

This story originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of our print edition.

If you’re reading this website, it’s probably safe to assume that climbing has left a permanent mark on you, an invisible impression that shapes the way you see and experience the world. Some choose to supplement those marks with permanent visible reminders of their passion for rock ascension via tattoos. Here are just a few, provided by our readers.

"I have two tattoos related to the two things I love to do the most: yoga and climbing. I didn’t want it to be too obvious, so non-climbers always ask what it is."@zsuzsisaitz

"I got this with the idea of a silhouette of a female climber at sunrise. I’m amazed by this work of art. It was all done freehand by Craig Brown at Historic Tattoo Society in Portland."@bianca761

"This tattoo is of an illustration from one of the first Swedish instructional climbing books. It was that book that made me start climbing at the age of 15."@toothkillah

"I did this tattoo on a friend that climbs a lot. It has the power of the rock with the beauty of death all rolled into one."@jipitatu

"One of my first times touching real rock was at Red Rocks. This a reminder of that major milestone in my life, and the beauty of the environment. This was done by @tattoocloud."@dsrandom

"Climbing played a big role in the positivity in my life. Tattoo was done by @tattoocloud at Ink Obsession in Kitchener, Ontario. It was based on a drawing by @artbypawly."@ecott

"This tattoo is an expression of my love for climbing, hiking, and being in the wilderness. That’s Mount Rainier from Reflection Lake. This will eventually encompass my whole back."@hubhiker

"I’m a climber and tattoo artist with a small studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I messaged Alex Honnold because that dirt squirrel needs some ink. I’d tattoo him for a piggyback ride up El Cap."@adambenjamin